Bitter ending for Fleming Island girls in Class 4A state soccer title game

Fleming Island's Abby Austin (6) with goal attempt defended by Melbourne goalkeeper Riley Greer (21) during the first overtime period of girls soccer action in the Class 4-A State Championship at Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne on Saturday.

Fleming Island's Taylor Berry keeps her eye on the ball during the first half of the Class 4A state championship game against Melbourne at Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne on Saturday. The Golden Eagles lost 2-1 in double overtime. Audrey Johnson scored Fleming Island's goal.

Fleming Island's Janese Quick (13) looks for an opening in the Melbourne defense.

MELBOURNE — For the first time in their dramatic playoff run, the Fleming Island Golden Eagles ran into a last-minute finish that they couldn’t win.

Keira McCarthy headed the title-winning goal four minutes into double overtime for defending state champion Melbourne, which completed its perfect season with a 2-1 victory over Fleming Island in Saturday’s FHSAA Class 4A girls soccer final.

McCarthy jumped highest in the goal area to power home an in-swinging corner kick by Melbourne playmaker Katie Reed.

“It was just one of those great balls,” Fleming Island coach Darrell Ivey said. “She put it in the right spot, and the girl got up and got her head on it.”

The golden goal was a heartbreaking end for the Golden Eagles (22-2-2), who nearly completed another patented comeback after forcing overtime on a fearless diving header by Audrey Johnson with nine minutes left.

The match was played before a large pro-Melbourne crowd at Eastern Florida State College, less than 10 miles from the Bulldogs’ home.

The Bulldogs (23-0-0), who haven’t lost a game since the 2011-12 season, had their skills on full display, pinning Fleming Island deep and congesting the midfield to win back possession in the first half.

Fleming Island countered with a rigorous, physical approach that pressed Melbourne but also led to many free kicks around the box.

One of those set plays brought Melbourne’s opening goal after 20 minutes.

Reed curled in a free kick from the right sideline, bending it above the Golden Eagles’ defenders. McCarthy’s initial header ricocheted back off the crossbar, and midfielder Christina Aubrey arrived to score from point-blank range.

Midfielder Reed continued to test the Golden Eagles on free kicks and corners, while also placing precise passes for forwards McCarthy and Hannah Debose.

Fleming Island tried to counter through center forward Kennedy Singleton and midfielder Janese Quick, but ran into a firm barrier in the Bulldogs’ defense — until the last 10 minutes.

That’s when the Golden Eagles, whose late-game heroics have carried them all postseason, made their move.

“We were trying to put high pressure on the ball, put more balls behind them,” Ivey said. “It seemed to be working.”

From Singleton’s corner kick, Abby Austin flicked the ball over the head of keeper Riley Greer, and Johnson lunged at full length into a thicket of defenders to head the tying goal from two yards out.

“Abby Austin did a great job to get the shot off, and Audrey came through to make sure it went in,” Ivey said. “Then she took a knee to the back of the head, so she had to come out.”

Fleming Island created several more chances, with Austin coming close several times on scrambles in the penalty area, before McCarthy’s goal ended the Golden Eagles’ best-ever season.